Indian cricket team pace bowler Mohammed Shami, who has been out of action since the ODI World Cup 2023 due to injury and surgery, returned to the nets recently. After a stunning outing with the ball in the World Cup, Shami has been recovering well from an ankle injury, which made him out of the T20 World Cup 2024. Known for his ultimate swing, Shami picked up a whopping total of 24 wickets in seven games at the ODI World Cup and emerged as the highest wicket-taker as well. Recently, Shami appeared on a podcast and gave some hilarious details on his bonding with the captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as he was asked that between Rohit and Virat, who is more difficult to face in the nets.

Shami said, “They (Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma) don’t like facing me in the nets. I have said this in many interviews. It’s like a very friendly bond with Virat. We keep on challenging each other. He tries to play different shots against me, while I try me best to dismiss him. This friendship keeps us motivated, which helps us giving our hundred per cent. I always set the field well and then ask Virat to come and bat against me. Rohit never agrees to face me in the nets. He straight away says no. I have dismissed Virat twice or thrice in the nets. He always gets irked.”

The 33-year-old pace bowler also revealed that Ishant Sharma and Virat Kohli are two of his good friends from the Indian team. However, Mohammed Shami is a key bowler in the Indian line-up and everyone is desperately waiting to see him back in action as well.

“There is a group of close friends which has Ishant Sharma, Virat Kohli and a few former cricketers and we keep talking to each other on the phone. But it’s not like we speak regularly to each other,” Mohammed Shami concluded.